This edition of Elevator World is focused on safety within the lift industry.
With 45+ years experience in the business, there is no one better to share their views than our very own, Colin Craney.
Colin’s career includes significant time as an hands-on Engineer, as a Manager and, for the past 19 years in a consultancy capacity.
He has seen the industry from pre-accession to the European Community to the current exit from the EU, and it is his experiences in these fields that sparked, and shaped, his interest in safety within the lift industry.
I recall a day in the 1970s when, as part of an annual clean down and inspection, I was persuaded to travel down inside an escalator step-band. Whilst clearly inappropriate and highly dangerous, the intent was to shorten the process. My naivety in this respect, coupled with my observation of our work at height practices (100 m up, working with ladders more often unfixed, and without harnesses and/or fall protection), together with observations in relation to some accidents and near-misses, served to spark my interest. I recognised that there were better and safer ways of doing things.
Colin explores the impact of the regulations, or events, in the evolution of safety within the lift industry, including:
- The Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974
- The 6-pack of Regulation and the European Union Open Market in 1992
- Risk assessment under the Management of H&S at Work Regulations (MHSWR) 1992
- Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1992
- Lifting Equipment and Lifting Operations Regulations (LOLER) 1998
- The 1987 fire at King’s Cross underground station
- The advent of the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations
- The Lifts Directive 95/16/EC (UK Lifts Regulations 1997)
- The COVID pandemic
Colin also assesses the impact of cultures within the industry, and how clashes contributed to complications in the education of lift safety within the industry:
The influence exerted by the industry’s six major international firms is both productive and counterproductive in terms of working practice. Clashes of culture give rise to misunderstanding, frictions and conflict, although by way of a positive, a sharing of practices drawn from other jurisdictions can prove enlightening in terms of process improvement.
To read this thought-provoking article in full, and make your own decisions about the safety within the lift industry, click the image below.
Colin Craney has 42 years of industry experience, initially in a number of field and management roles with Otis, followed by 17 years in consulting, currently for SVM Associates. Colin is a U.K. chartered engineer and a fellow of CIBSE, European engineer, chartered safety and health practitioner, accredited consultant on the HSE Occupational Safety and Health Consultants Register and a member of the Chartered Institution of Occupational Safety and Health. Colin is a barrister, having been called to the bar by the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple.
Established in 2004, SVM Associates pride ourselves on our industry expertise, persistent attention to detail, personable working style and unique approach to all aspects of building services, including; Lifts, Escalators and Facade Access, Mechanical Electrical and Public Health and Facilities Management.
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